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DML FAQ

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DML FAQ : Racing : What's the best way to launch?

Q:
What's the best way to launch?


Practice on the street. Mash your brake pedal, and try 1000 rpms, let off the brake and see if you get wheel spin. If you fon't get wheelspin, try 1200 and so on. You don't want to mash the gas right off the line, get the rear end hooked up then mash it. You'll know what I mean when you start doing it. You will be able to feel it. Get in to the gas fast, but not too fast. Do an even steady push on it. Takes practice. You don't want the engine to stumble when it's recovering from the increased load of the tires getting traction.

Remember to run the same amount of air pressure in the rear tires as you would at the track. What pressure to use is based on tire. You want the widest contact patch possible without the sidewalls touching the ground, with all the tread in flush contact with the ground. Try throwing some chalk dust on the ground and drive through it to see how much rubber is touching the ground. The right tends to get more torque due to engine torque/weight transfer and rear end twist. So make the right rear a little wider than the left to compensate.


Contributed by: Mike Schwall
Last updated: Sun Jul 22 17:37:32 2001